Call for Information: Fast-Growing Small Publishers

Feature: Fast-Growing Small Publishers

Issue: March 7

Deadline: February 18


Needed: To be considered for inclusion in our annual look at fast-growing small publishers, presses with net sales of between $2 million and $10 million should submit net sales for 2008--2010, number of employees in those years as well as the number of new titles released. Sales will be kept confidential. A brief description on the reasons behind the growth should also be included. E-mail responses to Jim Milliot; phone 212-377-5705.

Reminder: Call for Information

Today is the deadline for publishers’ submissions for PW’s February 28 Travel feature; our Call for Info is in the Jan. 31 issue (p. 8) and on the home page of our site, in the right-hand column. Please e-mail information to Dick Donahue and kindly include the requested comments.

'PW' to Host Truth in Nonfiction Panel

PW will host its first breakfast panel of the year February 22 in New York City, titled Truth in Nonfiction: What Is the Publisher’s Responsibility? The panel will address the fact that over the years, there have been many nonfiction books that have proved to be partly or wholly fabricated.

Skyhorse to Do 'Instant' Packer Book

Following its acquisition of the assets late last year of Sports Publishing, Skyhorse Publishing is resurrecting a Sports Publishing tradition—releasing instant books about the winning teams of major sporting events—albeit with a twist. Rather than team with news organizations to write a quick book about a championship team, Skyhorse will use Sports Publishing's backlist to update relevant titles. To that end, to mark the Green Bay Packers victory in Sunday’s Super Bowl, Skyhorse, is re-issuing Tales from the Green Bay Packers Sideline by Chuck Carlson.

'Los Angeles Review of Books' Now Set for April

The Los Angeles Review of Books, which was originally scheduled to launch last October, will now make its debut this April after overcoming budget cuts and staff layoffs at the University of California at Riverside, the online periodical's primary sponsor.

A Peek at the February 7 'PW'

In the News section of Monday’s issue, we take a look at Harper’s approach to audio and offer an analysis of the New York Times’s new e-book and combined bestsellers lists. In Retailing, a story on bookselling in the Midwest finds new booksellers emerge as others move on.

The 'Times' Unveils E-book Bestsellers, Combined Lists

At a breakfast Thursday morning the New York Times unveiled its new e-book bestsellers that will appear in print in its February 13 edition. The list is broken into fiction and nonfiction and the Times is adding a combined print and e-book bestsellers list as well.

Gale Sponsors Contest for Librarians

Gale, part of Cengage Learning, is running a contest to recognize librarians around the country, called “Are You a Librarian Superhero?” The company is asking librarians, library patrons, students, and school administrators to nominate “superhero librarians” who are “making a real difference for their library and community.”

Thomas Nelson Launches Sweepstakes

Thomas Nelson is hosting a sweepstakes in the hopes of getting customers into bookstores. Called “On the House,” it began Tuesday and runs until April 30.

A Peek at the January 31 'PW'

In Monday’s issue of the magazine, there’s a piece on Storyville, a website designed to get people to read short stories; and a summary of Digital Book World. The Retailing section offers a wrap-up of Winter Institute 6. As the wait for a decision on the Google settlement approaches the one year mark, PW talks with author and media scholar Siva Vaidhyanathan, whose new book, The Googlization of Everything, examines the expanding influence of Google. There is a profile of Oregon crime writer Chelsea Cain, and in Reviews, there is a boxed double review of two studies of the blossoming of women artists; and Q&As with Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, author of The Dressmaker of Khair Khana, and Patrick Rothfuss, author of The Wise Man’s Fear.

S&S Creates Dedicated Reading Group Resources Page

Simon & Schuster has a new, dedicated Reading Group Resources page on simonandschuster.com. The page highlights authors and book group picks; and lets visitors browse reading group guides by subject and author, get information on the genesis of some favorite book club titles, view trailers and videos, get tips for book club leaders on how to start their own groups and facilitate discussions, access sample reading group discussion questions, discuss books on its message boards, and read the Simon & Schuster Book Club Newsletter.

Call for Nominations: 2011's PW Bookstore and PW Rep of the Year

Publishers Weekly is seeking nominations for the 19th annual PW Bookstore and PW Sales Rep of the Year awards to be presented this spring at BookExpo America in New York City. Award winners will also be profiled in the pre-BEA issue of Publishers Weekly magazine.

A Peek at the January 24 'PW'

Monday’s issue of the magazine starts off with a report on a survey that finds trends favoring Amazon growth. Elsewhere in the News section, indie presses brace for shrinking shelf space at the chains, and in Retailing, we take a look at bookselling at Target. The bulk of the issue is devoted to spring announcements; essays by PW editors cover the top 10 titles in each category, and listings summarize hundreds of forthcoming titles. There’s a feature on this spring’s debut novelists; a Q&A with Colin Thubron, author of To a Mountain in Tibet; and the Soapbox addresses the importance of metadata in publishing.

Random, Pulpwood Queens Book Club Partner on Online Talk Show

Random House is teaming with Kathy Patrick, founder of the Pulpwood Queens Book Club and owner of the Texas hair salon/bookstore Beauty and the Book to launch an online book club talk show featuring interviews with Random authors. Avideh Bashirrad, director of marketing for the Random House Publishing Group, said they created the show in response to increased demand for digital content from book clubs.

Circalit Seeks Crime Fiction

A year-old social networking and digital distribution platform that aims to bring writers and agents together has created a contest to find "the next big crime fiction blockbuster." Circalit, launched in February 2010 as a place for screenwriters to showcase their work to studios, began inviting novelists, playwrights, and short story writers to post their work in July 2010.

A Peek at the January 17 'PW'

In Monday's issue of the magazine, the News section has a story on ALA's recent midwinter meeting in San Diego, a summary of the Future of Publishing Roundtable that took place this week, and a look at international bestsellers. In Retailing, a story investigates if it's time to change co-op. A feature on the upcoming crop of political books finds that folks who slunk away except for periodic cameos on FOX News are in full force, offering their action plans for the future and looking back at the past. In Reviews, there's a boxed review of The Troubled Man by Henning Mankell, and a Q&A with Joseph O'Connor, author of Ghost Light.

Solving the Secrets of Mystery Buyers

Even as brick-and-mortar stores continue to be the largest sales channel for mystery books the percentage of mysteries sold as e-books rose from 1.7% in 2009 to 7% in the second quarter of 2010. Those were some of the findings of a research study on the mystery/crime fiction book-buying market sponsored by Sister In Crime and conducted by Bowker's PubTrack service. According to the study, 39% of mysteries were bought in stores in 2009, while library borrowing accounted for 17% of the way readers obtained books. Online retailers represented 17% of unit purchases. And as e-book sales increases between the first quarter of 2010 to the second, the percentage of hardcovers fell.

S&S on Foursquare

Foursquare users can now check in at locations mentioned in some Simon & Schuster books and get information from those books. The publisher announced Simon & Schuster on Foursquare this week, which enables the social networking site's five million-plus users to get tips from a selection of S&S titles when they check in at a Foursquare location.

Penguin Brings TV, Radio Satellite Tours In-House

Penguin has started a Penguin TV and Radio Satellite Media Tours department. Led by director Kristin Ilardi and associate director Stephany Perez, the department will produce TV and radio satellite tours for Penguin authors.

A Peek at the January 10 'PW'

In the News section of Monday's issue, we have an update from Nielsen BookScan that finds total unit sales fell 4.5% in 2010; a story on Ooligan Press, the publishing affiliate of Portland State University in Oregon that gives graduate students real-world publishing experience; and an update on the Publishers Weekly Stock Index. There is also a listing of the top five holiday e-books from eight houses. In Retailing, there is a profile of Chaucer's Bookstore in Santa Barbara. Features look at bestseller gains and losses of 2010; spring kids' movies, where several have literary roots; and retiring University of California Press director Lynne Withey. There is a profile of Kate Atkinson, author of Started Early, Took My Dog; and Q&As with Taylor Stevens and Frank Brady. The Soapbox shares one reader's strategy for reading both print books and e-books.